The present invention relates to drive or timing belts and more particularly to a replacement belt which may be kept available as an emergency replacement and which may be easily fitted into place when needed without any special skill or tools as a temporary replacement.
Automobiles as well as other vehicles, machines, or tools regularly utilize flexible drive belts for connecting portions of their drive systems. A failure of those drive belts usually results in a breakdown of the vehicle or machine. For example, a failure of a fan belt in an automobile results in the failure of the connected water pump and cooling fans so that the engine overheats and must be shut down. Other similar drive belts are used on vehicle generators and power steering units for providing these important auxiliary functions in vehicles and making vehicle use without the belts difficult and usually impossible. Other mechanical systems including machine tools and refrigerating systems and the like also include essential drive belts which fail from time to time and which when they do fail cause serious problems until they are replaced.
The function of the belt of the present invention is to provide an emergency replacement belt which is easily installed in the proper size for a particular use without requiring any special tools or expertise and without requiring any change in the alignment of the pulleys or other machine parts. Normally, for example, when an automobile pump and fan belt breaks, it is necessary to stop the vehicle and to acquire a similar replacement belt which may be both time consuming and difficult and which may be impossible in certain places or times of day. A belt in accordance with the present invention, is carried in the vehicle or otherwise kept available in a length great enough for the largest belt which may require replacement. Should the belt fail, it is only necessary to cut the replacement belt of the invention to the necessary loop length and to connect the belt ends using the integral connector or coupling provided.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved emergency replacement drive or timing belt for engines or other machines or apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an emergency replacement belt which will fit a variety of belt sizes and which is easily applied without any special tools or engine part adjustments.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling means for connecting the opposite ends of a length of belting to form a closed loop.
Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.